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10 Things You May Not Know About Mozart

Happy Birthday Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born 266 years ago today. He remains a legend and icon figure in music. As a New York Times article wrote “For Mozart is our foundation stone, our icon, and our pedigree. Celebrating him means celebrating ourselves.” 

So in celebration of Mozart’s birthday, here’s a list of some interesting things about this infamous “child prodigy” that you may not know about him. 

Mozart aged 14 in January 1770 (sourced Wikipedia)

Mozart aged 14 in January 1770 (sourced Wikipedia)

 

 

  1. Mozart’s full name is Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart.

  2. By the time Mozart was four years old, he could learn a song on the clavier (a stringed keyboard instrument) in just 30 minutes.

  3. Apollo et Hyacinthus was Mozart’s first true opera he wrote at the age of 11.

  4. Mozart loved playing pranks on people. He even created a piece titled “A Musical Joke,” where passages were played out of tune. He did this to make fun of who he believed to be bad composers.

  5. Mozart claimed that he taught his pet bird, a starling, to sing the opening of his Piano Concerto Number 17, K 453.

  6. There is a frog named after Mozart, the Eleutherodactylus Amadeus, or Mozart Frog for short. It is so named because the frog’s croak resembles musical notes.

  7. You would need 202 hours or about 8 and a half days of straight listening to get through Mozart’s entire body of work.

  8. Maria Anna, Mozart’s sister was equally or perhaps even better than her brother. She toured with her brother and even composed and orchestrated his first symphony. Once she was married, she was forced to stop publicly playing and touring. Unfortunately, none of her work survived.

  9. Mozart’s nickname was Wolfie.

  10. No one really is sure where Mozart’s body rests today. 
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Amadeus_Mozart
https://www.factretriever.com/mozart-facts
https://www.tonara.com/blog/interesting-facts-about-mozart/
ttps://www.factinate.com/people/mozart-facts/
https://www.nytimes.com/1990/09/09/arts/music-why-mozart-has-become-an-icon-for-today.html